THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 18, 1041.
Ubrary. Suprema Comel
Fage 3
Soviet Smashes Attempt To Take Islands In Gulf
EASTERN FRONT ANALYSIS
(By "Annalist")
The German communi- que yesterday made a re-
SEVERE GERMAN LOSSES IN VAIN
(By Reuter's Resident Correspondent
in Moscow)
THE IMPORTANCE of the Soviet victory in smashing a German attempt to land forces on the Soviet-held islands of Ezel and Moon, at the entrance of Riga Bay and partly com-
vealing statement Salmanding the Gulf of Finland, is emphasised though it does not consti- by the promotion yesterday of Major-General of the coastal defences Alexis Yeliseev to the rank of Lieutenant-General.
tute a claim
It said that in the east, offen- sive actions are developing into one operation (1) n very big senie.
It was he who commanded various sec- tions of the Soviet Baltic Navy concerned in communique, which again speaks beating off the Germans.
This bears out the Russian
of stubborn fighting along whole front.
the
that
While the Soviets hold Eze! and WAS CONTESTED. other islands in the same groun
The testimony of both Rus- sians and Germans, therefore,
Several
Germans thousand is in agreement, mainly
stretching north and south across were killed in this second opera- the fierce German onslaught le the entrance of Riga Bay, it nut tion, making the total for both matched by stubborn Russian only means that a German move attempts extremely costly.- Reu-
into the Finnish Gulf would he Thus, after 80 days of fighting. | very difficult but also that Ger-| both sides are still straining for mun possession of Riga naval base victory and neither can claim any is practically valueless. major Or decisive battles. - Reuter.
resistance.
the
Less Than Justice
But this bald analysis of position does less than justice to the Soviet defence. In order to appreciate the measures of their success it is only necessary to quote the bulletins of the Ger man High Command after the ftest fortnight and three weeks of war.
The road was stated to be open to Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev while the Russian forces werel described as a disorganised rabble without leadership and Co- ordination.
These reports of the Higli Command were not propaganda fairy tales issued
by Goebbels' loud-speakers. They are the most damning evidence of the unreliu- bility of the German bulletins.
Stupendous Effort
It is clear that desperate fight- ing is still proceeding. The Ger- men effort undoubtedly has been stupendous but it has been match- ed by the Soviet resistance and losses on both sides have been astronomical.
But the Russian is fighting for his hearth and home. The Ger- man, soldier, if he does think at all, must be asking himself: Why all this sacrifice?
are
Certainly people in Germany
beginning to
show their anxiety.
A despatch describing the German attempt states that the first expedition which tried to approach the lalands at dawn an Saturday was beaten off after only a four-hour battjo.
The second effort, however. which began on Sunday with 14 much larger number of smallor vessels, lasted until Tuesday and some German forges at one time succeeded in getting a foothold before being thrown back into the
sea.
Transports Sunk
Aboard each of the six trans-
ports used on Saturday, of which four were sunk, were up to 2,500 Germans.
They were protected by eight destroyers, of which one was sunk, motor torpedo-boats, and eleven of which ten were sunk.
The second effort was made from neighbouring, ports on the mainland. The Germans lost one large and many small transports. THE LAND BATTLE AFTER SOME OF THE GERMANS HAD SUCCEEDED IN LANDING WAS EVERY YARD VERY BITTER,
V
SUPPLY SHIPS FOR U.S. NAVAL BASES
An- 3rd
Rear-Admiral Adolphus drews, Commandant of the murmur and Naval District, announced in New York yesterday that the U.S. Navy Most Elgnificant feature of has arranged to use 17 merchant- yesterday's news was the claim, men as supply ships to naval bases made in unofficial Soviet quar- outside the continental United ters to have scored another big States. success In the Smolensk arca Several
have
near Yartacvo, near Yelnya service and the where they won a big battle last be ready shortly. week.
will be manned
From a strategical viewpoint crews. — Reuter. the fighting in this central zone is by far the most important. Reuter.
GROWING INTENSITY OF BATTLE
been put into remainder will All the ships civilian with
to
as the Germans had planned launch a powerful new thrust. from the village.
Naval artillery gave support to land. forces who stormed the enemy positions with no regard for themselves. The village was recaptured: after very heavy- lossen had; been inflicted on, the Nazis..
The enemy is reported to be. hurling in. new forces and concen- trating vast curtains of fire, in or dor to break the resistance of the defenders.
According to latest re-
Battle is also reported to be en- ports from Moscow the gaging on the distant sea ap- proaches to Leningrad-where the battle for Leningrad is Germans are repeatedly attempt- Oesel and other growing in intensity withing to capture
islands controlling Riga Bay' and. the Germans increasing the southern entrance to the Gulf their pressure and the of Finland. Russians stiffening their Saturday, the Russians sank four defences on land and sea to six energy transports, one des
troyer, ton autters and many small and in the air.
ships.The ships comprising: the
After a four-hour battle last
Reports describe the recapture raiding fivet, fled.. by the Red Army of a village on a Parachutists were used in an cross roads leading to Leningrad; other unsuccessful attack-Bri The battle was fierce in character tish Wireless,
ter.
NEVER
HAVE
SUCH
AMERICA FINANCING SOVIET ORDERS
It was officially an- nounced yesterday that the United States is providing $100,- 000,000 for Russia to purchase war materi- al
the in
United States, says Reuter.
TREMENDOUS
VALUES BEEN
OFFERED!
CHINA EMPORIUM LTD:
8th Anniversary Commemoration. GIFT COUPONS
Commencing last Friday and un- til next Sunday, 21st September, we offer you a buying oppor. tunity that has never been equalled by any past service to the community. There never been an offer like this! Never such VALUES. during this WAR TIME' period! We're giving you
for your money. Every department in the store is brimming over with the things you need. priced at the lowest possible figure for this event! During
more
·
ADOLF PEEVED
Hitler. has been trying lately to show contempt for English gentlemen but when writing" "Mein Kampf" he thought them wonderful, and probably still does, says the "New Yorker."
We have an idea the aristocra- tic bad manners of the British were what drove him to the Rus- sian campaign.
The Fuehrer could stand plen- ty but when Mr. Churchill spoke of him, publicly as a "bloody gut- tersnipe" he blew up,, more at the noun than the adjective, and flung his armies against the Soviet try- ing to promote a crusade to save ****** 'Christian gentility!-Reuter.
CHINA EMPOR
8th ANNIVERSARY
GIFTS
this celebration we're having a surprise Birthday Gift in the form of PRESENTATION COUPONS, To every purchaser of goods to the amount of $1.00 or over will be given a coupon which may be-Ca changed for goods in any department of the store. The more you spend, Latest the greater, the value you'll get from your coupons in return, selections of seasonable, goods have been unpacked. So it is to your advantage to buy during the Commemoration period, and thus benefit by the GIFT COUPONS:
YOUR EARLY INSPECTION IS CORDIALLY INVITED